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Nemrud Daği
Eastern terrace of Nemrud Daği. Photo Ab Langereis.
Eastern terrace of Nemrud Daği from a distance		 Nemrud Daği: the tomb of king Antiochus I Theos of Commagene (r.70-31 BCE), famous for its uncommon sculpture.
   
General East Terrace West Terrace

The eastern terrace of Nemrud Daği is more or less identical to the western terrace, although there are differences: in the east, the statues, which are about eight meters high, are placed on a platform, while the western statues are situated directly on the ground. They are facing the rising sun. From left to right, one can see:
  
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The statues on the eastern terrace of Nemrud Daği. Photo Marco Prins.
The statues on the eastern terrace: on a podium
  • Altars dedicated to Antiochus' Macedonian ancestors
  • A lion
  • The head of an eagle
  • Apollo - Mithra - Helius - Hermes
  • The protective deity of Commagene
  • Zeus - Oromasdes (Ahuramazda)
  • King Antiochus I Theos
  • Heracles - Artagenes - Ares
  • The head of an eagle
  • A lion
  • Altars dedicated to Antiochus' Achaemenid ancestors
The big altar on the eastern terrace. Photo Marco Prins.
The big fire altar on the eastern terrace
It is, of course, no coincidence that the king was seated between the gods, and his seat left of Zeus makes him equal to Commagene herself, who is seated to the supreme gods' right. It may be that the king considered himself to be superior Apollo and Heracles, as there appears to be a hierarchy: from the left and right to the center, we see an earthy creature, a heavenly creature, Apollo and Heracles, Commagene and Antiochus, Zeus.

In front of the statues of the gods is a very large square platform, which once served as a fire altar. A nice lion is left to guard it.
Fumigation altars, dedicated to the ancestors of Antiochus. Photo Marco Prins. Southern eagle on the eastern terrace of Nemrud Daği. Photo Marco Prins. Apollo on the eastern terrace of Nemrud Daği. Photo Marco Prins. The Tyche of Commagene on the eastern terrace of Nemrud Daği. Photo Marco Prins.
Fumigation altars, dedicated to Antiochus' Macedonian ancestors. In the background, the Euphrates. Southern eagle Apollo - Mithra - Helius - Hermes The tyche of Commagene
Zeus on the eastern terrace of Nemrud Daği. Photo Marco Prins. King Antiochus Theos on the eastern terrace of Nemrud Daği. Photo Marco Prins. Antiochus and Heracles on the eastern terrace of Nemrud Daği. Photo Marco Prins. Heracles on the eastern terrace of Nemrud Daği. Photo Marco Prins.
Zeus - Oromasdes King Antiochus Theos Antiochus and Heracles Heracles - Artagenes - Ares
Northern eagle on the eastern terrace of Nemrud Daği. Photo Marco Prins. Lion on the eastern terrace of Nemrud Daği. Photo Marco Prins. Lion, guarding the altar at the eastern terrace of Nemrud Daği from a distance. Photo Marco Prins. Relief showing one of Antiochus' Persian ancestors. Photo Marco Prins.
Northern eagle Northern lion Lion, guarding the altar Relief showing on of Antiochus' Achaemenid ancestors. 
General East Terrace West Terrace
© Jona Lendering for
Livius.Org, 2003
Revision: 13 June 2010
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